SKIN MAEKINGS AND CALLOSITIES OF THE HORSE 



503 



A. 



points are indicated in the human feet A in fig. 664 by the letters a h c. 

 To the unaided eye the parts referred to are apparently covered with a 

 hard mass of cuticle, and 

 a microscopic examina- 

 tion confirms this conclu- M',' — ^- «- 



sion. 



In the dog the palmar 

 and the plantar pads are 

 underneath the fore-feet 

 and the hind-feet B, fig. 

 664. Two fatty cushions 

 form the bulk of each 

 pad, and the surface of the 

 skin covering the cushions 

 is an extremely beautiful 

 structure, to which the use 

 of the term hardened epi- 

 dermic covering, although 

 strictly correct, certainly 

 does very scant justice. 



Looking at the sui'face 

 of any one of the pads 

 underneath the foot of 

 the dog, when it is freed 

 from the habitual coating 

 of dirt, the ol)server will 

 be struck by its tessellated 

 or che(|uered appearance. 

 A series of columns oi- 

 cones will be distinguished, 

 with the points directed, 

 in .the natural position 

 of the foot, downwards 

 to the ground surface of 

 the pad. 



The plantar pad of the 

 foot of man is composed 

 of epidermic scales, formii 

 and vascular skin. 



Among the horse tribe there are no developed palmar or plantar pads; 

 the remains of these are indicated in c of fig. 664. If, however, the ergots 



B. 



Fig. 664. — Plantar Surface of the Foot of 



The small letters «, b, and <■ indicate the corresponding- points of the 

 three. These points are in man at the centre of the heel a, the protu- 

 berance at the joint of the third or middle toe h, and in the centre of 

 the middle toe c. In tlie dog at the back of the point of the hock a, 

 which does not come in contact with the ground owing- to the position 

 of the limb, also on the centre pad b, and on the centre of the third 

 toe c. In the horse in the centre of the point of the hock a, on the 

 ergot hy and near the centre of the frog c. 



nearly smooth covering to the sensitive 



